A Song Of Painting: To General Cao Ba Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGH IJKLKEI MNOOPKQRNRSTISUV WVXYZRA2B2C2D2VE2F2G 2H2I2J2K2ZL2M2N2O2D P2Q2H2VR2S2T2V DYU2PV2RW2I J2X2Y2Z2PIVF2| You General Cao Ba | A |
| descendant of Cao Cao | B |
| now live as a peasant | C |
| a cold door commoner | D |
| Your ancestor's heroic age | E |
| carved out kingdoms of old | F |
| and its cultural brilliance its style | G |
| still survive in your work | H |
| - | |
| To learn calligraphy | I |
| you first studied Lady Wei | J |
| your only regret was not surpassing | K |
| the great Wang Xizhi | L |
| You said 'Caught up in my painting | K |
| I give no thought to old age | E |
| riches and rank are to me | I |
| no more than clouds floating by ' | - |
| Often summoned to court | M |
| during the Kaiyuan period | N |
| frequently you ascended the dais | O |
| to receive the Emperor's praise | O |
| In the Gallery of Famous Men | P |
| the noble faces were fading | K |
| going to work with your brush | Q |
| you brought back their freshness | R |
| On the ministers' heads you repainted | N |
| their hats of office | R |
| at the waists of the fierce generals | S |
| their great feathered arrows | T |
| The Duke of Bao and Duke of E | I |
| so lifelike their hair bristles | S |
| stand grim bold and heroic | U |
| as if in the midst of battle | V |
| - | |
| The late Emperor's imperial horse | W |
| Jade Flower Dapple | V |
| had been painted by artist after artist | X |
| but none could capture his essence | Y |
| One day he was led into the courtyard | Z |
| below the red steps of the palace | R |
| standing there by the palace gates | A2 |
| he embodied the wind of the plains | B2 |
| At the Emperor's command | C2 |
| you stretched white silk to paint on | D2 |
| calling up all of your skill | V |
| you formed the image in your mind | E2 |
| In a flash from the nine fold heavens | F2 |
| the true 'dragon' emerged | G2 |
| At one stroke the horse paintings of ages | H2 |
| were obliterated | I2 |
| When the painting was taken up | J2 |
| and hung above the throne | K2 |
| the horse on the wall and that in the yard | Z |
| gazed proudly into each other's face | L2 |
| Smiling the Emperor hastened his aide | M2 |
| to bring a handsome reward | N2 |
| stable boys and grooms stood long faced | O2 |
| jealous of His Majesty's favor | D |
| - | |
| Your pupil Han Gan was long since | P2 |
| shown all your techniques | Q2 |
| he too can paint horses | H2 |
| horses in every stance imaginable | V |
| but Gan paints only the outer flesh | R2 |
| not the strength that lies beneath | S2 |
| his brush would dampen the spirit | T2 |
| of legendary Hualiu | V |
| - | |
| The General is a superb painter | D |
| because he captures the essence | Y |
| In the past you often rendered | U2 |
| likenesses of distinguished men | P |
| in the present troubled times | V2 |
| uprooted and homeless | R |
| you are reduced to painting portraits | W2 |
| of humble passersby | I |
| - | |
| So desperate are your straits you put up | J2 |
| with the snubs of commoners | X2 |
| never in the world | Y2 |
| has anyone been as poor as you | Z2 |
| But look at the lives of famous men | P |
| throughout history | I |
| they too were forced to deal | V |
| with endless frustrations | F2 |
Du Fu
(1)
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About A Song Of Painting: To General Cao Ba
A Song Of Painting: To General Cao Ba is a poem by Du Fu. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.